Riddick Bowe - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Riddick Lamont Bowe is a retired American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

. He is a two-time heavyweight

Heavyweight

Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...

champion and a former undisputed

Undisputed Champion

In professional boxing, the undisputed champion of a weight class is a boxer who is recognized as the world champion at that class by each boxing organization.-History:...

heavyweight

Heavyweight

champion. He is best remembered for his trilogy of fights with Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...

and two brutal bouts with Andrew Golota.

Early years

Bowe was born on August 10, 1968, the twelfth of his mother Dorothy Bowe's thirteen children. He was born and raised in the Brownsville

Brownsville, Brooklyn

Brownsville is a residential neighborhood located in eastern Brooklyn, New York City.The total land area is one square mile, and the ZIP code for the neighborhood is 11212....

section of Brooklyn

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

, which at the time was one of New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

's most infamous slums. His brother Henry died of AIDS

AIDS

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...

and in 1988 his sister Brenda was stabbed to death by a drug addict during an attempted robbery.

Amateur boxing career

As an amateur, Bowe won the prestigious New York Golden Gloves championship among other tournaments, (in 1984 at the age of 17 he knocked out opponent James Smith in just 4 seconds) and in the 1985 National Golden Gloves championship he lost to Ft. Worth Lt. Hvy. wt. Donald Stephens, and he also won the silver medal in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, stopped in 2 rounds by Lennox Lewis

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...

Amateur highlights

Amateur Record: 104-18

1983 at United States Junior Championships, as a Middleweight, lost to Adolpho Washington
Adolpho Washington
Adolpho Washington was a professional boxer best known to hold the IBF Cruiser title for one fight. He had little power but a "steel" chin, and was never knocked out as a pro ....

by 2nd round TKO
1985 Junior World Champion as a Light Heavyweight, in competition in Bucharest. Defeated Péter Hart of Hungary in final.
1987 Heavyweight Bronze Medalist at Pan-American Games in Indianapolis. Lost to Jorge Luis Gonzalez
Jorge Luis Gonzalez
Jorge Luis González is a former heavyweight boxing contender and prospect born in Havana, Cuba. He won the gold medal at the 1983 Pan American Games and the 1987 Pan American Games and the former WBO Latino Heavyweight Champion.-Amateur:González compiled an Amateur Record of 220-13...

on points
1988 Super Heavyweight Silver Medalist at 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Results were:
- Defeated Biko Botowamungu (Zaire, Congo) KO 2
- Defeated Peter Hrivnak (Czechoslovakia) TKO 1
- Defeated Alex Miroshnichenko (Soviet Union) points
- Lost to Lennox Lewis
  Lennox Lewis
  Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
  
  (Canada) TKO by 2

New York Golden Gloves Champion

Riddick Bowe won four New York Golden Gloves

New York Golden Gloves

The New York Golden Gloves is a boxing tournament considered by many boxing aficionados as one of the three most elite Golden Gloves titles, along with the Chicago Golden Gloves....

Championships. Bowe won the 1985 178 lb Novice Championship, 1986 178 lb Open Championship and the 1987 and 1988 Super Heavyweight Open Championship. Bowe trained at the Bed-Stuy BA.

Professional career

Bowe turned pro after his Olympic loss however, his heart and dedication were brought into question. However, highly regarded trainer Eddie Futch

Eddie Futch

Eddie Futch was a boxing trainer. Among the fighters he trained are Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Larry Holmes, and Trevor Berbick, four of the five men to defeat Muhammad Ali....

took on the job of developing Bowe as he saw the talent. Eddie would say that Riddick had more potential than any boxer he had ever trained.

Bowe turned pro in March 1989, knocking out novice (but future #1 contender) Lionel Butler. His manager Rock Newman kept Bowe active, fighting 13 times in 1989, beating journeymen, the most notable being Garing Lane, whom he beat twice. In September 1990 he made his first step up in class, fighting faded ex-champ Pinklon Thomas

Pinklon Thomas

Pinklon Thomas is a retired heavyweight boxer and former WBC heavyweight champion whose trademark pink boxing trunks and a left jab were key distinguishing characteristics....

, who he dominated until Thomas was pulled out after 8 rounds. The following month he knocked out the Bert Cooper

Bert Cooper

Bertram Cooper , also known as Smokin' Bert Cooper is a heavyweight boxer, most famous for his devastating punching power and several wild brawls in the 1990s.-Pro career:...

in two rounds, which added to his reputation and high ranking. By the end of 1990 he had fought 8 times.

In March 1991 he overcame some rocky opening rounds to knock out the 1984 Olympic Super-Heavyweight Gold medallist Tyrell Biggs

Tyrell Biggs

Tyrell Biggs , is an American heavyweight boxer. He won the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, CA in boxing at the Superheavyweight division, after gaining bronze the previous year at the 1983 Pan American Games....

. However his image suffered when in his next fight, slick boxing ex-champ Tony Tubbs

Tony Tubbs

Tony Tubbs is a retired professional heavyweight boxer who was the WBA Heavyweight Champion of the world from 1985 to 1986.-Amateur career:...

, whose own career had suffered with drugs and weight issues, appeared to outbox and outsmart Bowe, only to have the judges award Bowe with a unanimous decision that was jeered loudly by the crowd. In August 1991 he knocked out future champ Bruce Seldon

Bruce Seldon

Bruce Samuel Seldon is a retired American boxer and former world champion, having won the World Boxing Association heavyweight title in 1995.-Amateur career:...

in one round, and in July 1992 fought Pierre Coetzer

Pierre Coetzer

Pierre Coetzer is a former Heavyweight boxer from Pretoria, South Africa. Coetzer’s most notable fights were probably those against Johnny DuPlooy, Riddick Bowe, Frank Bruno and George Foreman....

in an eliminator, knocking out the durable South African in 7 rounds.

Fights against Elijah Tillery

Bowe fought a duo of interesting bouts against journeyman Elijah Tillery

Elijah Tillery

Carlton Elijah Tillery is a former American boxer in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Phoenix Steel".-Professional career:...

in 1991. Their first fight is known for its bizarre conclusion. Bowe dominated the first round and dropped Tillery. After the round ended, Tillery walked toward Bowe and taunted him, and Bowe responded by punching Tillery. Tillery then threw several low kicks at Bowe, who then unleashed a flurry of punches on Tillery as Tillery lay on the ropes. Bowe's trainer, Rock Newman, then grabbed Tillery and pulled him over the ropes as Bowe continued to throw punches. Tillery somersaulted over the ropes and was quickly detained by security. After order was restored and the fighters returned to the ring, Tillery and Bowe continued a war of words, and there continued to be minor incidents as the ring was cleared. Tillery was controversially disqualified for the fracas with Bowe getting the win, much to the surprise of the television announcers.

The fighters rematched two months later, with Bowe dominating and stopping Tillery - his first TKO loss.

World heavyweight champion

In November 1992 he fought reigning champ Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield

for the undisputed title. With his heart and dedication still in question, Bowe won a unanimous decision in an entertaining fight, even flooring Holyfield in the 11th. However, it was the 10th round that most boxing fans will remember. The epic and brutal back and forth exchanges helped make it Ring Magazine's "Round of the Year

Ring Magazine round of the year

The Ring was established in 1922. Since 1945, it has named a particular round of a fight as round of the year, based on the magazine's writers' criteria...

". Commentator Al Bernstein exclaimed, "That was one of the best heavyweight rounds ever!"

Only a couple of weeks earlier in London, Bowe's old Olympic rival Lennox Lewis

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...

knocked out Canadian Donovan "Razor" Ruddock

Donovan Ruddock

Donovan Ruddock , also known as Razor Ruddock, is a retired Canadian heavyweight boxer. He was a promising Heavyweight of the late 1980s and early 1990s...

in 2 rounds, establishing himself as the WBC's #1 contender. The Bowe/Holyfield and Lewis/Ruddock fights were part of a mini-tournament where all four fighters agreed that the two winners would meet each other for the championship. Bowe's manager Rock Newman made a proposal that the $32 million purse HBO were offering be split 90-10 in Bowe's favor, an "absurd" offer which Lewis rejected. Lewis's manager Frank Maloney rejected another offer of $2 million for Lewis to fight on a Bowe undercard, citing his distrust of the Bowe camp after the aforementioned negotiations. So in a move that would hurt Bowe's image he held a press conference in which he dumped the WBC belt in a bin rather than fight Lewis.

In February 1993 Bowe defended the title against the 34 year old ex-champ Michael Dokes

Michael Dokes

Michael Marshall Dokes is a former American boxer in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Dynamite."-Amateur career:...

, whom he knocked out in 1 round. On the undercard Olympic heavyweight gold medallist Ray Mercer

Ray Mercer

"Merciless" Ray Mercer is an American professional boxer, former Olympic Gold Medalist and WBO heavyweight title holder who resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina...

blew his proposed world title challenge to Bowe as ex-contender Jesse Ferguson

Jesse Ferguson

Jesse "Boogieman" Ferguson is a retired American boxer who fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

outpointed him. In May 1993 Ferguson was granted Mercer's shot, however was knocked out in 2 rounds.

In the rematch with Holyfield, Bowe looked overweight. He had entered training camp at a 266 lbs, and weighed in at 246 lbs, eleven pounds heavier than in the first fight with Holyfield.

Bowe and Holyfield exchanged hard punches, but Bowe ended up losing the belts to Holyfield by a majority decision. This fight was also known for a bizarre stunt in which parachutist James "Fan Man" Miller

James Miller (parachutist)

James Jarrett Miller also known as Fan Man was a parachutist and paraglider pilot from Henderson, Nevada, known for his outrageous appearances at various sporting events...

dropped into the open air arena, landing in the ropes by Bowe's corner. This surreal scene delayed the fight in the 7th round.

After title loss

In 1994 two comeback fights were not overly impressive, in August he faced the much smaller Buster Mathis Jr, and after struggling to connect with his bobbing and weaving target, hit him illegally while he was down, knocking him out yet escaping with a 'No Contest' verdict thanks to referee Arthur Mercante Sr.

In December 1994 he punched Larry Donald

Larry Donald

Larry Ali Donald is a professional heavyweight boxer, who competed for the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.-Professional career:...

at a press conference, before outpointing the 1992 Olympian, giving the 16-0 Donald his first loss.

WBO title and Holyfield rubbermatch

In March 1995 Bowe picked up the less regarded WBO belt by knocking down England's Herbie Hide

Herbie Hide

Herbie Hide is a British boxer of Nigerian heritage from Norwich currently fighting in the cruiserweight class...

some 6 times en route to a 6th round KO.

In June 1995, after a heated build up, he defended the title against his hated arch rival in the amateurs, Jorge Luis Gonzales in Las Vegas. The build-up contained bizarre trash-talk which included Gonzalez declaring a desire to eat Bowe's heart and liking himself to a lion

Lion

The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...

to Bowe's hyena

Hyena

Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...

. Bowe won by sixth round knockout. He vacated the WBO championship soon after.

After the Gonzales fight, Bowe had his highly anticipated rubbermatch

Rubber match

According to Paul Dickson's The New Dickson's Baseball Dictionary , a "rubber game" is "The last and deciding game of a series when the previous games have been split; e.g., the seventh game of the World Series." This tie-breaking sense of "rubber" apparently originated in the English game of...

against Evander Holyfield. Holyfield knocked Bowe down with a single left hook but Bowe prevailed, by a knockout in eight.

Bowe vs. Golota

After his rubbermatch with Holyfield, Bowe was matched up against the undefeated heavyweight contender Andrew Golota at the Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...

, on an HBO Boxing

HBO Boxing

HBO World Championship Boxing is a sports television series, premiering in January 1973 that has shown a number of significant boxing events in the last three decades....

event. Bowe's weight problem again resurfaced, as the favorite entered the ring at a career high of 252 lbs. Though ahead on points, Golota was disqualified in the seventh round after Bowe went down from being repeatedly punched in the testicles. Seconds after Golota was disqualified, Bowe's entourage rushed the ring, attacked Golota with a 2-way radio (who traded punches with one of them and later required 11 stitches to close the wound caused by the radio) and assaulted Golota's 74-year-old trainer Lou Duva

Lou Duva

Louis "Lou" Duva is a boxing trainer and manager who has handled some of the most famous boxers in the world including 19 World Champions. The Duva family have promoted boxing events in over 20 countries on six continents...

(the latter was taken out on a stretcher). The entourage began rioting, fighting with spectators, staff and policemen alike, resulting in a number of injuries before they were forced out of the arena.

The fight made many sports shows, including SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...

, and there was a good amount of public interest in a rematch. The rematch was on Pay Per View and Golota, after dropping Bowe in the second round and being dropped himself later, was leading on the scorecards only to be disqualified in the ninth round, once again for repeatedly punching Bowe in the testicles. Despite not having another riot, this fight also proved to be controversial with a protest filed by Golota's camp to try to overturn the fight's result. The two Bowe fights earned Golota the derisive nickname Foul Pole.

This fight was featured on HBO

Home Box Office

HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...

's documentary Legendary Nights: The Tale of Bowe-Golota.

Joining the Marine Corps

After the Golota fights, Bowe retired from boxing and decided to join the United States Marine Corps Reserve

United States Marine Corps Reserve

The Marine Forces Reserve is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. It is the largest command in the U.S...

. He said he made the decision both to make his mother proud and to re-dedicate himself to training, with the intention of returning to boxing shortly after. On his first day of recruit training

United States Marine Corps Recruit Training

United States Marine Corps Recruit Training, commonly known as "boot camp", is a program of initial training that each recruit must successfully complete in order to join the United States Marine Corps...

, however, Bowe discussed leaving the Corps with Marine commanders, and quit after just 11 days of training at the recruit depot

Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island

Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island is an military installation located within Port Royal, South Carolina, approximately south of Beaufort, the community that is typically associated with the installation. MCRD Parris Island is used for the training of enlisted Marines...

at Parris Island, South Carolina

Parris Island, South Carolina

Parris Island is a former census-designated place , currently a portion of Port Royal in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,841 at the 2000 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Parris Island is included within the Beaufort Urban Cluster and the larger...

. The Marine Corps has been criticized for compromising their traditional recruiting measures and accommodating Bowe's request.

Legal troubles

Following Bowe's failure to become a Marine, his life was marred with legal incidents. Three months after leaving Marine Boot Camp he was accused of battering his sister. Three months after that, assault and battery on his wife. Bowe then was convicted of kidnapping his wife and children after Bowe went to his wife's Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...

home and threatened her with a knife, handcuffs, duct tape and pepper spray

Pepper spray

Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...

. He forced her and their children into a vehicle and set out for his Fort Washington, Maryland

Fort Washington, Maryland

Fort Washington, Maryland is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland in the suburbs of the capital city of the United States of America, Washington, D.C., south of the downtown district. It is a prosperous community with an African American majority...

, home. Bowe was initially sentenced to only 30 days as a result of a lenient sentence due to brain damage claimed by Bowe's defense. Indeed, tapes of Bowe talking before and after his brutal fights with Golota show a man with very slurred speech. This sentence was later overturned and Bowe served 17 months in federal prison.

In 2001, Bowe was arrested in Long Island

Long Island

Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...

after a domestic dispute with his wife. Bowe allegedly dragged his wife and left her with cuts on her knees and elbows.

Return to boxing

On September 25, 2004, after seven and a half years away from boxing, Bowe returned with a second round knockout over Marcus Rhode. In a second comeback fight, in April 2005, Bowe narrowly defeated journeyman Billy Zumbrun, in a fight in which Bowe was badly overweight and absorbed many heavy blows from Zumbrun.

Bowe declared bankruptcy in 2005.
In July 2008, Boxrec reported that Bowe might return to the ring after three years on September 12, 2008 in Győr

Gyor

-Climate:-Main sights:The ancient core of the city is Káptalan Hill at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rába and Rábca. Püspökvár, the residence of Győr’s bishops can be easily recognised by its incomplete tower. Győr’s oldest buildings are the 13th-century dwelling tower and the...

, Hungary

Hungary

Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...

against Hungarian journeyman Zoltán Petrányi. But he didn't show up for the fight.

With the help of manager Bob Bain, on December 13, 2008, 41-year old Bowe returned to the ring for the first time in over three and a half years on the undercard of the Wladimir Klitschko

Wladimir Klitschko

Wladimir Klitschko is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer. Klitschko is the WBA , IBF, WBO Super, IBO & Ring Magazine Champion. His older brother Vitali Klitschko is the current WBC champion...

-Hasim Rahman

Hasim Rahman

Hasim Sharif Rahman is an American professional boxer. Rahman is the former Lineal, WBC, IBO, & IBF heavyweight champion...

heavyweight title bout in Mannheim

Mannheim

Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. He won an eight round decision over challenger Gene Pukall

Gene Pukall

Gene Pukall, is a German professional boxer fighting in the heavyweight division.-Debut:Pukall turned professional in April 2000 in the Neuruppin, Brandenburg, Germany...

.

His current boxing record stands at 43-1 with 33 wins by way of knock-out. “No matter what, God is on my side,” Bowe said. “I’m not perfect, but I’m not the worst, either. God brought me this far. He’s not done with me yet.” In early 2010 he said “I want to get back in the ring as soon as I can and Gomez

Juan Carlos Gomez

Juan Carlos Gómez is a professional boxer. A former Cuban amateur star, he is also a former WBC Cruserweight Champion and a devout Muslim. He lives in and boxes out of Orlando, Florida, USA.-Early years and defection:...

would be a good fight for me.”

However, he has not fought since defeating Pukall, in December 2008.

Professional boxing record

Gene Pukall
|UD
|8
|13/12/2008
|align=left|

Billy Zumbrun
|SD
|10
|07/04/2005
|align=left|

Marcus Rhode
|TKO
|2
|25/09/2004
|align=left|

Andrew Golota
|DQ
|9
|14/12/1996
|align=left|

Andrew Golota
|DQ
|7
|11/07/1996
|align=left|

Evander Holyfield

|TKO
|8
|11/04/1995
|align=left|

Jorge Luis Gonzalez

Jorge Luis González is a former heavyweight boxing contender and prospect born in Havana, Cuba. He won the gold medal at the 1983 Pan American Games and the 1987 Pan American Games and the former WBO Latino Heavyweight Champion.-Amateur:González compiled an Amateur Record of 220-13...

|KO
|6
|17/06/1995
|align=left|

Herbie Hide

Herbie Hide is a British boxer of Nigerian heritage from Norwich currently fighting in the cruiserweight class...

|KO
|6
|11/03/1995
|align=left|

Larry Donald

Larry Ali Donald is a professional heavyweight boxer, who competed for the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.-Professional career:...

|UD
|12
|03/12/1994
|align=left|

Buster Mathis, Jr.
|NC
|4
|13/08/1994
|align=left|

Evander Holyfield

|UD
|12
|06/11/1993
|align=left|

Jesse Ferguson

Jesse "Boogieman" Ferguson is a retired American boxer who fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

|KO
|2
|22/05/1993
|align=left|

Michael Dokes

Michael Marshall Dokes is a former American boxer in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Dynamite."-Amateur career:...

|TKO
|1
|06/02/1993
|align=left|

Evander Holyfield

|UD
|12
|13/11/1992
|align=left|

Pierre Coetzer

Pierre Coetzer is a former Heavyweight boxer from Pretoria, South Africa. Coetzer’s most notable fights were probably those against Johnny DuPlooy, Riddick Bowe, Frank Bruno and George Foreman....

|TKO
|7
|18/07/1992
|align=left|

Everett Martin

Everett Wayne Martin , also known as Bigfoot Martin is a former professional boxer. He is a journeyman heavyweight best known for his performances against more notable contenders.-Pro Boxing Career:...

|TKO
|5
|08/05/1992
|align=left|

Conroy Nelson
|KO
|1
|07/04/1992
|align=left|

Elijah Tillery

Carlton Elijah Tillery is a former American boxer in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Phoenix Steel".-Professional career:...

|TKO
|4
|13/12/1991
|align=left|

Elijah Tillery

Carlton Elijah Tillery is a former American boxer in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Phoenix Steel".-Professional career:...

|DQ
|1
|29/10/1991
|align=left|

Bruce Seldon

Bruce Samuel Seldon is a retired American boxer and former world champion, having won the World Boxing Association heavyweight title in 1995.-Amateur career:...

|KO
|1
|09/08/1991
|align=left|

Phillip Brown

Philip Brown is a boxer who began his career defeating Billy Joe Thomas. 19 more wins and 2 draws came, and soon he would fight Gerry Cooney. Despite Cooney having devastating punching power, he had just lost to Larry Holmes, so his confidence may have been shaken and might have given him...

|TKO
|3
|23/07/1991
|align=left|

Rodolfo Marin
|KO
|2
|28/06/1991
|align=left|

Tony Tubbs

Tony Tubbs is a retired professional heavyweight boxer who was the WBA Heavyweight Champion of the world from 1985 to 1986.-Amateur career:...

|UD
|10
|20/04/1991
|align=left|

Tyrell Biggs

|TKO
|8
|02/03/1991
|align=left|

Tony Morrison
|KO
|1
|14/12/1990
|align=left|

Bert Cooper

Bertram Cooper , also known as Smokin' Bert Cooper is a heavyweight boxer, most famous for his devastating punching power and several wild brawls in the 1990s.-Pro career:...

|KO
|2
|25/10/1990
|align=left|

Pinklon Thomas

Pinklon Thomas is a retired heavyweight boxer and former WBC heavyweight champion whose trademark pink boxing trunks and a left jab were key distinguishing characteristics....

|RTD
|8
|07/09/1990
|align=left|

Art Tucker

Art Tucker is a heavyweight boxer from Newark, New Jersey.He started boxing while incarcerated in Rahway State Prison, N.J. for 12 years. Art Tucker, nicknamed Big, launched his career after being released in 1987 with 15 wins in a row...

|TKO
|3
|08/07/1990
|align=left|

Jesus Contreras
|KO
|1
|08/05/1990
|align=left|

Eddie Gonzales
|UD
|8
|14/04/1990
|align=left|

Robert Colay
|TKO
|2
|01/04/1990
|align=left|

Mike Robinson
|TKO
|3
|20/02/1990
|align=left|

Charles Woolard
|TKO
|2
|14/12/1989
|align=left|

Art Card
|RTD
|3
|28/11/1989
|align=left|

Don Askew
|TKO
|1
|18/11/1989
|align=left|

Garing Lane
|TKO
|4
|04/11/1989
|align=left|

Mike Acey
|TKO
|1
|19/10/1989
|align=left|

Earl Lewis
|TKO
|1
|19/09/1989
|align=left|

Anthony Hayes
|KO
|1
|15/09/1989
|align=left|

Lee Moore
|KO
|1
|03/09/1989
|align=left|

Lorenzo Canady
|RTD
|2
|15/07/1989
|align=left|

Antonio Whiteside
|TKO
|1
|02/07/1989
|align=left|

Garing Lane
|UD
|4
|09/05/1989
|align=left|

Tracy Thomas
|TKO
|3
|14/04/1989
|align=left|

Lionel Butler
|TKO
|2
|06/03/1989
|align=left|

|align=left|
|-align=center

Riddick Bowe timeline

August 10, 1967: Born in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
1988: Lost to Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...

for the Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...

gold medal in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...

, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

.
March 7, 1989: Debuted as a professional, beating Lionel Butler
July 8, 1990: Beat Art Card in first nationally televised
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

bout
October 21, 1991: Declared winner by disqualification over Elijah Tillery
Elijah Tillery
Carlton Elijah Tillery is a former American boxer in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Phoenix Steel".-Professional career:...

who began kicking Bowe until he was grabbed around the neck and thrown outside the ring by Bowe's manager, Rock Newman. A melee ensued. It would not be the last time things went chaotic before or during a Bowe fight.
November 13, 1992: Won the world Heavyweight championship, beating Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...

. Bowe and Holyfield slugged it out for 12 rounds, with Bowe having a slight edge. A knockdown in the 11th round sealed Holyfield’s fate, and Bowe would win by unanimous decision.
Early 1993: He and his manager Rock Newman visited Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

in the Vatican City
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...

, offering him the autograph
Autograph
An autograph is a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist; the meaning overlaps with that of the word holograph.Autograph also refers to a person's artistic signature...

ed gloves that Bowe used to beat Holyfield. The Pope accepted the gift.
February 6, 1993 Bowe knocked out former WBA Heavyweight champion Michael Dokes
Michael Dokes
Michael Marshall Dokes is a former American boxer in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Dynamite."-Amateur career:...

in the first round, in his first title defense.
May 22, 1993 Bowe knocked out Jesse Ferguson
Jesse Ferguson
Jesse "Boogieman" Ferguson is a retired American boxer who fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

in the second round, in what his trainer Eddie Futch
Eddie Futch
Eddie Futch was a boxing trainer. Among the fighters he trained are Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Larry Holmes, and Trevor Berbick, four of the five men to defeat Muhammad Ali....

called his greatest performance.
November 6, 1993: Lost the title to Holyfield, by decision in 12.
August 13, 1994: His fight with Buster Mathis Jr.
Buster Mathis Jr.
Buster Mathis Jr., born March 24, 1970 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is an American former professional boxer in the heavyweight division.The son of Buster Mathis, a heavyweight boxer from the 1960s, Mathis Jr was a heavy man and took up boxing to lose weight....

declared a no contest
No contest (boxing)
No contest is a technical term used in some combat sports to describe a fight that ends for reasons outside the fighters' hands.-Boxing:...

after Bowe hit his opponent while Mathis Jr. lay on the canvas.
December, 1994: In the final pre-fight conference before their fight, he threw a one-two combo
One-two combo
In boxing, the "one-two combo" is a nickname of a jab and cross combo. It is so named because, in boxing parlance, the jab is often referred to as a "1" and the cross as a "2".Boxers usually learn this combination before any other....

at Larry Donald
Larry Donald
Larry Ali Donald is a professional heavyweight boxer, who competed for the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.-Professional career:...

. He beat Donald by decision in 12.
March 11, 1995: He won the lightly regarded WBO world Heavyweight championship, knocking out Herbie Hide
Herbie Hide
Herbie Hide is a British boxer of Nigerian heritage from Norwich currently fighting in the cruiserweight class...

in six rounds.
Summer of 1995: He and Jorge Luis Gonzalez
Jorge Luis Gonzalez
Jorge Luis González is a former heavyweight boxing contender and prospect born in Havana, Cuba. He won the gold medal at the 1983 Pan American Games and the 1987 Pan American Games and the former WBO Latino Heavyweight Champion.-Amateur:González compiled an Amateur Record of 220-13...

engaged in a series of violent press conferences across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

before their fight. Their last pre-fight conference was held behind protective glasses. Bowe won by knockout in six.
November 4, 1995: He and Holyfield, fought the last fight of their classic trilogy. Bowe seemed to dominate the early rounds, and the ailing Holyfield was struggling in the fight, a fight that commentator George Foreman
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...

was notably concerned about, repeatedly saying the fight should be stopped. Holyfield however had a spurt of energy early in the sixth round, and knocked Bowe down. Bowe recovered from the knockdown and went on to win by knockout in round eight.
July 11, 1996: He defeated Andrew Golota by disqualification in round seven after being repeatedly punched in the testicles. The ensuing riot became breaking news across the United States, and an infamous night in the history of boxing. Golota was hit in the head by a member of Bowe’s entourage with either a large mid-90s cellphone or walkie-talkie, bloodying him.
December 14, 1996: He defeated Golota in their rematch, again by disqualification. Golota was ahead on all three scorecards, but at the end of the ninth round, Golota landed three brutal shots to Bowe's testicles. It turned out to be Bowe's last fight until 2004. Bowe declared there would not be a rematch. For a long time after Golota was disqualified Bowe lay unmoving in the ring with his eyes closed, which prompted fears from some about his condition. His slurred speech during the post fight interview did little to alleviate those fears.
December, 1996: Bowe announced he would leave his wife and children and large fleet of cars in Fort Washington, MD to join the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

. He dropped out of boot camp soon afterward.
1999: He kidnapped his wife and children at her parent's community in North Carolina. They were released unharmed, after an interstate drive.
January, 2001: Bowe applied for a presidential pardon from President Bill Clinton stating, "I became the heavyweight champion of the world from hard work. I was able to provide certain necessities to my large family. Many people depended on me and still depend on me to this very day for certain necessities," Bowe wrote. "If I am not given back my livelihood, we might just lose everything."
May 18, 2004: Bowe was released from federal prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...

after serving 18 months for kidnapping. He announced his intention to return to boxing and attempt to reclaim the world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....

Heavyweight championship.
September 25, 2004: After seven and a half years away from boxing, Bowe returned with a second round knockout over Marcus Rhode. In a second comeback fight in April 2005, Bowe narrowly defeated journeyman Billy Zumbrun, in a fight in which Bowe was badly overweight and absorbed many heavy blows from Zumbrun.
On October 17, 2005 he declared bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....

.
On November 9, 2007, Riddick Bowe announced that he will enter the world of Mixed Martial Arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

(MMA), fighting exclusively for the promotional outfit Xcess Entertainment, with his first fight being December 12, 2007, against lanky Philadelphia journeyman David R. Stec.

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.